The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1887-11-22
The New Road Bill.

IDllDh 0AZEIIE.-I Qdb Il scheme
should be feasible in practice is no
less important, than that it should be
perfect in theory. Any scheme that
depends essentially on circumstances
and conditions that do not exist, will
probably be failure however perfect
otherwise. The new road bill is a
very commendable scheme, very
economical, very efficient and very
well guarded against chances of cor
ruption, but its practical success will
depend on the securing of men to act
on the Road Commission, and such
men fear will not be forthcoming
The proper performance of the duties
of this Road Commission demands
rather more than public spirit than is
to be found In these mercenary days.
To one living in town or in a com
pact district it may seem a very sim
pie and easy thing to hold a Road
Commission meeting once a quarter,
sign the necessary drafts, and get up
a skeleton report; but let us take, for
instance, the district of Hilo on Ha-
wall In all probability, and in all
justice, one member of the Road
Commission will be appointed from
the northern end of the district. the
rest of the members being in or near
the town of Hilo, where the quar-
terly meetings of the Board would be
very properly held To require this
unfortunate member from North
Hilo to spend two or three days ever,
quarter in making this journey
through the district under circum-
stances of much personal discomfort
owing to heavy rain and much mud;
to expose him while there to the ire
sponsible structures eff some indivi-
dual kanaka, or the combined con,
domination of twenty-five of them
and all for nothing, seems to me an
imposition on patriotism such as no
man would long endure.
We are reasonably patriotic in the
country and are strongly DESTROYS of
having good roads, but that any man
who earns his daily bread by
his daily toll, should be asked to
sacrifice, at much personal discomfort,
two or three days quarter-as he
would almost necessarily do in such
districts as Hilo and Kona-for the
sake of the balance of the taxpayers,
without remuneration. or even the re-
endorsement of travelling expenses,
is asking more than is just, and |
believe more than a satisfactory
working of the scheme will warrant.
In the case of Hilo, one member Of
the commission is virtually asked to
90 over nearly the entire road every
three months for nothing, whereas, l
viii venture to say, no Road Super
visor during the last ten years has
done that for liberal salary
In addition to unremuneratiye du-
ties, there are unremunerative respon-
sibilities The Chairman is placed
under a bond of several thousand dol
lars, and all the members are respon-
sible to an exacting public. l sup
pose the time will never come, short
of the millennium, when people will
cease to complain of roads and anathe-
Matte Road Supervisors, and that
Road Commission gives its services
gratuitously will not shield it from
the abuse of those whose tongues are
more ready thon their judgments.
There is, at best, a certain prospect of
dissatisfaction and condemnation on
the part of considerable portion of
the community, and at worst cate
gorical charges Of inefficiency or dis
honesty and chance of ignominious
removal-all for nothing, or at least
nothing more tangible than public
notoriety and the feeble glow of salts
faction warming ones heart with the
thought that he has done something
for the benefit OF his district.
l believe in reform, and in road re-
form as of paramount Importance to
US in the country districts and l
believe, furthermore, that the new
bill is in the right direction; but l
do not believe we ought to ask so
great a sacrifice from the three unfor-
tunate men so generous or undis"n'7'-
ing as 70 serve Oh such commission.
Surrey Some reasonable compensa-
tion should be allowed for so consid-
cradle an expenditure of time and
attention, on the part of responsible
men whose time and attention are
worth money to themselves and their
employers, whatever they may be to
the roads. Unless some reasonable
compensation is allowed l fear the
plan will utterly fail in many districts
for the lack of men of aHy kind to
serve on the commission.
Respectfully YOURS.